


Horse to water

by millygal



Category: Life on Mars (UK)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-20
Updated: 2013-09-20
Packaged: 2017-12-27 03:34:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/973820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/millygal/pseuds/millygal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Annie takes pity on an old fool</p>
            </blockquote>





	Horse to water

Of all the people to show him pity, he never expected it to be her.

He's done nothing but needle the plonk since she started hanging around the squad room. To look at him, everyone else just assumes it's because she's a woman in a blokes world and he doesn't think she belongs.

It's not.

It's simply good old fashioned jealousy.

Sam waltzed in, changed the layout of things, screwed up the well oiled machine he'd become so accustomed to. One word from the paperwork pushing pillock and she's off of desk duty, solving crimes and being taken seriously.

Ok, so she's been fielding horrid comments and not so dainty slaps to the behind, but she's still being listened to.

Not just by the other guys, but by Tyler, and by Hunt.

It's not right, she's a bloody woman. He's been beating these streets for years and 'Gladys' comes along, nicks his promotion and then goes and picks her out of the typing pool. Un-bloody-fair.

He's got good ideas, not that anyone ever listens. He could come up with a plan if anyone ever bothered to ask him.

So, he's done nothing to make her feel welcome and even though he doesn't like the sound of his own voice when he's giving her shit, he can't bring himself to apologise.

To have her follow after him and check he's ok, that's the biggest insult. It riles him, makes him wanna punch something.

She reaches out, places a soft hand on his shoulder, and he has to fight the urge to violently shake her off.

"Ray, you alright?"

"Fine!"

He can see she knows exactly how he's feeling, almost what he's thinking, witch. She's not daft, if she was she wouldn't be in CID in a time when women don't do anything other than tend the desk and make tea.

That doesn't mean he wants to admit to her how much of a petulant child he is.

He does what he always does, goes on the defensive. It's just his way, "Look Cartwright, if I need someone to darn my socks, I'll give you a holler"

She lets her hand drop, recoils as if she's been slapped.

Satisfied she'll leave him be, he turns to walk away.

"Wait"

He rounds on her, "What!"

She squares her shoulders, narrows her eyes, and sticks her well manicured finger in his face, "You listen to me Raymond Carling, I know you don't like sharing your squad room with bra wearing nancys, but seen as I'm the only person that's bothered to come out here and check you're ok, don't you think you should show a little thanks, you over grown child!"

Despite the fact his first instinct is to take her to pieces, Ray stops, looks her in the eyes, and sees honest concern for a colleague.

It blows all the wind from his sails, "Sorry"

Ray turns towards the steps of CID and throws himself down in a huff.

"You ok?"

Pulling a ciggie from the packet in his pocket, he lights it, inhales deeply and levels a glare at her, "Been better"

Sitting beside him, tucking her skirt over her knees, she wraps her arms round her legs and nods, "I get that"

He sighs and says nothing. There's nothing to say.

"Come on Ray, it's not like he fired you"

"No, but he just made me look like an idiot in front of that pansy Tyler, in front of all the blokes in the squad. I've been workin' with him for years, he's never much cared for 'procedure' before"

She smiles then flattens out her features, knowing Ray probably won't appreciate seeing her grinning, and forges on, "Look, I know you hate him. I don't pretend to understand why, but Sam's changed this place. Gene's just going with it, in his stubborn 'I am king of the jungle' sort of way"

"Didn't need changin'"

She snorts and he gives her a murderous look, "What's so bloody funny?"

Do or die.

She knows he's been the one behind most of her trouble in CID since Sam singled her out, she knows he's not that fond of having a girl cluttering up the place. She also knows that underneath all the bluster and bullshit, Ray's a good copper, a good man.

"Oh for god sake Ray. This place wasn't even a well organised piss up in a brewery. You're all too quick with your fists. You ever think just talking to a suspect might work better than shattering his teeth? Sam's a weirdo, that much I know. But he's got good ideas. We've had results, good results"

He clenches his teeth and almost bites the filter off his fag, "Doesn't mean I 'ave to like it, does it!"

"No, but, you force fed a suspect drugs Ray, what did you think Gene was gonna do? You know he sees a lot more than we give him credit for. If he really didn't want Sam here, kicking up dust, he'd have him transferred out, you know that"

Hanging his head, Ray tries to fight back the tears attempting to fall, "I was just tryin' to make him proud. He's always said, 'the result's the thing'. And now, now I'm the one havin' to answer for a way of policing I learnt off him"

"Have you ever seen Gene do what you did the other night? Or have you seen him skate that line just long enough to get the result he wants! He knew this place needed a shake up, that's why Tyler's still here. And, that's why you aren't paint on the sidewalk Ray. He could've have hung you out to dry, but he knows he's partly to blame"

Ray winces and drops his cigarette, he'd been paying so much attention to her he hadn't noticed it'd burnt down to the butt.

Sucking his fingers, he raises an eyebrow, "Why are you out here?"

She offers him a gentle smile and lays a hand on his arm, "Because I know what it's like to be made to feel like an outcast, and even if sometimes you deserve a beating for being a total bastard, I don't like to see the people I work with hurting"

She lets her hand drop, stands, dusts herself off and shakes her head, "You can lead a horse to water Ray, you can't make it drink. S'what my mum always says. It's true too. You can sulk, kick your heels, turn this into another reason to loathe Sam and all his 'Hyde ways' or you can think of it as a fresh start. Either way, make a decision and do it fast. This place is changing, for the better, whether you agree or not"

"But, what if I don't know how to be any different?"

"You'll learn, if you really want to"

She turns and walks back up the steps and he finds himself really thinking about what she's said.

Of all the people to take pity on him...

He stands up, fishes another fag out of his jacket, and heads back indoors, resolved to take the crap, if it means he still has a job at the end of it all.

As he enters the station, he makes a note to call the guys off. No more daft jokes and unwanted male affection. She aint so bad.


End file.
